Archived Confused by what GSTL is saying or trying to say

[Hope4Future]

So today, this one GSTL pulls me off the register and he explains that he doesn't want to have to come over and explain the same things whenever cashiers have questions and in terms of dealing with guests. He goes on to tell me that he wants us to be more confident when dealing with guests before they can cross-train me for guest services. Lastly, he tells me that he wants us to be able to manage on our own without calling him over for every little price challenge or issue. To be completely honest, I've always been reluctant to call over GSTLs for price challenges because they usually tell me to make it right for the guest anyway, but I've taken it to another level and even tried to help the older cashier ladies who always try to call for a GSTL by suggesting that they use a no-barcode category closest to the item that doesn't have a barcode even when I have been at self-checkout. I explained this to the GSTL, and he says he appreciates that because it reduces the number of times he will have to come over to the registers although he tells me that I should be careful and still monitor self-checkouts while helping the older cashier ladies.
I'm trying my best to enforce Target's coupon policies to the best of my ability, but outside of that and helping other cashiers so that the GSTLs won't have to come to the checklanes so frequently, I'm not sure what else I can do to satisfy my GSTL. Is it possible that he is being "lazy" or does he have other things to do, like attend to guest services and help them organize reshop?
On a similar note, the same GSTL told me that the GSTL position might be eliminated in the future, so the cashiers would have to handle price challenges, coupon scammers, hangars etc. by themselves. Has anyone else heard about this? My other questions would be, how would cashiers be able to request change without a GSA/GSTL? I remember one time after a guest checked out at my register, they wanted to speak to a GSTL because they were unhappy that guest services was down (I think it was a global issue) and they could not return the items that they drove for an hour to return because they didn't know guest services was down. Who would handle issues like that where the guest doesn't want to speak to a regular front-end team member?

 

[KittersOfTarget]

Older ladies?

Do they crunch when they move or appear in need of oxygen?

WHY would you NEED to assist the "older ladies"?

 

[NKG]

If it sounds crazy, then question the guest challenge. I mean asking for instant pot for $15. Those things are $49 at the lowest. Plus that would be 90% off. As for coupons, anything like $7.99 off Downey and the bottle is $7.99.....its a scam. Typical coupons are .50 off or $2.00 off two. Anything for free requires purchase or it's like a free yogurt or bag of 3 oz. cheese.

 

[GoodyNN]

Older ladies?

Do they crunch when they move or appear in need of oxygen?

WHY would you NEED to assist the "older ladies"?

Having successfully survived a greater number of circumnavigations around the sun does not mean that they're more knowledgeable in the position than OP. They might be newer hires, or they might just be stuck in an outdated "this is the way I learned it" mentality. I've got some of each in my store.

 

[Far from newbie]

I don’t think your GSTL is being lazy. I think he wants to develop a self sufficient team of cashiers. A sign of a good leader is when a team can function WITHOUT them. It shows he trained well, empowered, and the team is more developed. The more empowered you are to satisfy the guest the less the guest has to wait and the more available he is to deal with the ‘other’ issues and be available for guest assistance where the cashier cannot handle it.

 

[KittersOfTarget]

Having successfully survived a greater number of circumnavigations around the sun does not mean that they're more knowledgeable in the position than OP. They might be newer hires, or they might just be stuck in an outdated "this is the way I learned it" mentality. I've got some of each in my store.

And we find this is ALL cross sections of our hires but seems OP's store hires old people that can't figure out how to do much of anything if she/he needs to assist on such mundane things as "no bar code".

Those cashiers should either be trained again or, IMO, let them fall off as they aren't doing the easiest part of their job.

 

[Hope4Future]

Maybe I'm too obedient of this GSTL, but if he wants us as a team to make our own decisions and be self-sufficient like Far from newbie says, then I can at least help the "older cashier ladies". The ones I am talking about are really stubborn and will put up quite a fuss when a guest challenges a price. They always want to make sure of everything and get approval from a GSTL before making a price adjustment or using the no-barcode option. I've even tried to encourage them to be empowered and use their best judgement instead of holding up the line over a small price adjustment or an item that doesn't have a barcode, but they usually don't listen to me until I come over to their registers and instruct them to use the no-barcode list or adjust the price depending on the situation.

 

[KittersOfTarget]

I don’t think your GSTL is being lazy. I think he wants to develop a self sufficient team of cashiers. A sign of a good leader is when a team can function WITHOUT them. It shows he trained well, empowered, and the team is more developed. The more empowered you are to satisfy the guest the less the guest has to wait and the more available he is to deal with the ‘other’ issues and be available for guest assistance where the cashier cannot handle it.

GSTL needs to ensure proper training, thus enabling confident cashiers. Elsewise, blinky blinky.

Teach them with the best cashiers. Don't have the greatest to start with, write a script.

 

[KittersOfTarget]

Maybe I'm too obedient of this GSTL, but if he wants us as a team to make our own decisions and be self-sufficient like Far from newbie says, then I can at least help the "older cashier ladies". The ones I am talking about are really stubborn and will put up quite a fuss when a guest challenges a price. They always want to make sure of everything and get approval from a GSTL before making a price adjustment or using the no-barcode option. I've even tried to encourage them to be empowered and use their best judgement instead of holding up the line over a small price adjustment or an item that doesn't have a barcode, but they usually don't listen to me until I come over to their registers and instruct them to use the no-barcode list or adjust the price depending on the situation.

They probably aren't Target material and, to be honest, will fall off in fairly short order.

 

[Far from newbie]

Sounds like you are doing the right things to satisfy the guest quickly, but the ‘other/older ladies need a coaching. I wouldn’t be too concerned about the GSTL pulling you aside to talk to you. I hope he was just including you in the same speech he needed to give ALL the cashiers. Sometimes as a leader you are fair and tell everyone the same thing to avoid singling out a few. Sounds to me like ‘they’ needed to hear those comments much more than you and it’s never a bad thing to tell everyone anyway.

 

[KittersOfTarget]

Sounds like you are doing the right things to satisfy the guest quickly, but the ‘other/older ladies need a coaching. I wouldn’t be too concerned about the GSTL pulling you aside to talk to you. I hope he was just including you in the same speech he needed to give ALL the cashiers. Sometimes as a leader you are fair and tell everyone the same thing to avoid singling out a few. Sounds to me like ‘they’ needed to hear those comments much more than you and it’s never a bad thing to tell everyone anyway.

I thought OP was a cashier.

I'm sorry...I didn't realize OP was in an authoritative position. I thought he/she was trying just to help other TM's out.

You're right though, it sounds as though there's enough on that front that they should be talking to everyone and not singling out a few.

 

[Hope4Future]

They probably aren't Target material and, to be honest, will fall off in fairly short order.

Unfortunately, I doubt this very much because they seem to be scheduled every morning to open the store and it has been that way since I started working at Target. I'm not sure of every team member's availability at my store, but it seems like they are prioritized and given those opening hours, maybe because they've been at Target so long. I've also never seen any GSTL coach them about constantly asking for help outside of several occasions in which I've heard the GSTL say something like "you don't need to call me over for this" to them, and then the cycle repeats itself.

 

[seasonaldude]

I don't know. When I'm backing up the front, you can be damn sure that I'm calling over the GSTL or GSA if I get a no barcode item that is more than a couple of dollars. I'm not having screwing that up on me. That's what the GSTL is for. I know they think their job should just be standing there and directing traffic. But, nope, you called me up to the front therefore you get called over to approve this price change whether you like it or not.

 

[Far from newbie]

I don't know. When I'm backing up the front, you can be damn sure that I'm calling over the GSTL or GSA if I get a no barcode item that is more than a couple of dollars. I'm not having screwing that up on me. That's what the GSTL is for. I know they think their job should just be standing there and directing traffic. But, nope, you called me up to the front therefore you get called over to approve this price change whether you like it or not.

Were you not taught to “be empowered to make it right for the guest within $20.00 “ ?

 

[Hope4Future]

I thought OP was a cashier.

I'm sorry...I didn't realize OP was in an authoritative position. I thought he/she was trying just to help other TM's out.

You're right though, it sounds as though there's enough on that front that they should be talking to everyone and not singling out a few.

No, you're right I'm just a cashier although I've also been trained at self-checkout. I was just worried because the GSTL pulled me off the register to tell me this, even though it doesn't seem like he has coached or talked to any of the other cashiers about what we discussed today and trying to get a feel for what he was saying both directly and indirectly.

 

[seasonaldude]

Were you not taught to “be empowered to make it right for the guest within $20.00 “ ?

I was told within $5 at orientation. That's all I'm willing to do without calling for help unless I can figure something else out that covers me on my device quickly.

 

[Greenie]

It may be the GSTL is trying to get you to step up to be a leader amongst your peers.

I’m curious what your GSTL does that he doesn’t want to come to the registers. Is he a speed weaving machine or what?

 

[Far from newbie]

Guessing about an ‘indirect’ meaning is futile. If you want to know: ask. Take what he said literally : develop yourself to be more independent, done.
If you are interested in promotion, do the job you want. How can you BE a GSA/GSTL if you still NEED them ?

 

[Far from newbie]

I was told within $5 at orientation. That's all I'm willing to do without calling for help unless I can figure something else out that covers me on my device quickly.

ASANTS, we have a $20.00 rule.

 

[seasonaldude]

ASANTS, we have a $20.00 rule.

ASANTS definitely. I've done more that $5 without asking for approval but only for items that are in my section and I happen to know that the guest is correct to ask for a lower price, i.e. I know we flexed that out and someone must have forgotten to change the shelf price or I know it's listed for less on some other website and I can call up the price change app. Anything else, blinker. Gotta cover my own ass. But, the front end loves me so they don''t mind. I back up so much that I actually got a talking to about it the other day from my ETL, "There are other people in the store!!!!" So, if I call the GSTL or GSA over to help, they aren't going to bitch at me.

 

[KittersOfTarget]

I don't know. When I'm backing up the front, you can be damn sure that I'm calling over the GSTL or GSA if I get a no barcode item that is more than a couple of dollars. I'm not having screwing that up on me. That's what the GSTL is for. I know they think their job should just be standing there and directing traffic. But, nope, you called me up to the front therefore you get called over to approve this price change whether you like it or not.

If I were new I'd not approve any price changes without approval. I recall when I was new STREAMS of people gravitating to my lane with the idea they'd get everything they asked for even if it was ridiculously out of line.

Thankfully a TM from another area saw this happening and told me not to allow it (yes, another area...I was given no training. That was years ago).

 

[Dog]

I think your GSTL probably just thinks that you are capable of making your own decisions and being empowered to make it right for the guest etc. This is probably a good thing. Although I can see where he may be coming from due to how stretched thin GSAs/GSTLs can be, I don’t think it’s right of him to not want to come over to the lanes to help you when you need help; I can’t say for sure but you seem pretty self sufficient to me so you probably truly do need help when you call him over.

But yeah, rather than using no barcode, I would recommend getting the target app on your phone and searching for an item on there and finding the DPCI to type in or finding something similar. If it’s somrthing junky or from the dollar spot or whatever then really go ahead and use no barcode, it’s honestly just about your best judgement

As for the “older cashier ladies”, we definitely have a few like that at my store and it sucks that you are stuck babysitting them. Really seems like they don’t want to learn and would rather complain about everything and call the GSTL over for every little thing even after I’ve explained things to them 100 times which is super annoying... wish we could performance these people out, but its kind of hard to do that with veteran cashiers. Probably sounds mean but it gets tiring after a while.

Honestly if you feel like it I might ask your ETL-GE what the deal with this GSTL dude is lol

 

[RedcardReba]

Sounds to me like he's counseling the wrong person.

 

[KittersOfTarget]

No, you're right I'm just a cashier although I've also been trained at self-checkout. I was just worried because the GSTL pulled me off the register to tell me this, even though it doesn't seem like he has coached or talked to any of the other cashiers about what we discussed today and trying to get a feel for what he was saying both directly and indirectly.

I've seen cashiers get used to do the GSA's and GSTL's work. While I think it's fine to help the good ones in many facets, it sounds to me that your GSTL is unloading their responsibility onto you. If an error is made it will fall on you. Plus, don't forget those older cashiers (I understand what you mean now. I've seen them as well) have a tendency to bitch about things and what if one tells HR you've been bossing them around? They'll exaggerate.

Help where you feel comfortable but don't do work pay grades above yours without the pay, respect, or title.

 

[KittersOfTarget]

I don’t think your GSTL is being lazy. I think he wants to develop a self sufficient team of cashiers. A sign of a good leader is when a team can function WITHOUT them. It shows he trained well, empowered, and the team is more developed. The more empowered you are to satisfy the guest the less the guest has to wait and the more available he is to deal with the ‘other’ issues and be available for guest assistance where the cashier cannot handle it.

The OP is a cashier. The only cashier knowing how to and/of doing his/her job well so his/her GSTL pulled ONLY OP aside and not the others who aren't doing their jobs correctly. That seems to me, unless I'm reading it wrong, that responsibility is being placed on the cashier (OP) to do GSTL's job.